1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers, and more specifically, to methods and systems for indicating print media quality to printer users.
2. Description of Related Art
Thermal printers produce printed images by selectively heating coated thermochromic paper, or thermal paper, when the paper passes along a pathway near a thermal print head. The coating is darkened in areas where the paper is heated such that text or images are produced. A thermal printer usually includes a thermal print head, platen, spring, and controller. The thermal print head generates heat for printing on the paper. The platen may include one or more rollers for feeding the paper along a pathway for printing. The spring applies pressure to the thermal print head, causing it to contact the paper. The controller controls the mechanism and may perform other tasks, such as controlling the display of information to the printer user. Often, thermal printers include a cutter blade assembly for cutting the paper.
Over time printer components will sometimes require replacement due to normal wear. Printer wear may be unduly hastened when low-quality papers or other low-quality print media are used. Calcium carbonate is a filler often used in low-quality papers to produce an economical paper having a bright appearance. Calcium carbonate can be more abrasive than other fillers, causing printer components, such as the thermal print head and the cutter blade assembly to wear more quickly than if high-quality papers were used for printing. For these reasons, printer manufacturers often recommend the use of high-quality papers for use with their printers.
Many printer users are unaware that the paper being used is low-quality paper or that the paper is not recommended by the printer's manufacturer. It may be impossible or difficult for a user to detect low-quality paper based on visual inspection alone. To be assured that recommended, high-quality paper will be used, the printer user must inconveniently check whether the paper is among those approved by the printer manufacturer for use with the printer. Accordingly, there is a need for convenient methods and systems for indicating print media quality to printer users.